The Washington Commanders took Rice wide receiver with the 100th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Here is a full transcript of his interview with the media.
On what the moment of being drafted is like and where he is right now:
"Thank you. I'm back in Colorado right now. I'm with the family and shoot, I tell you what that's, that's probably one of the better feelings you can have, have in life right there. But I'm just so excited, you know, I'm ready to get to work right away and start to compete and buy into this organization. I love what everyone in that building stands for. Excited for the new faces and the kind of ability to be part of something that you can build and start from the ground up. I can't wait to get going."
On how much he reflects on his journey to get here after starting at a different position:
"Oh, you can't help but to reflect, you know. I think things happen in life for a reason and whether it's good or bad, everything accumulates to where you are in life now. And so, I think everything that I went through, whether it's transferring, whether it was switching positions, whether it was, you know, the last two years when I gotta stick to one position and have some fun doing it, it all kind of assimilates to every moment. I'm so stoked for this moment, but I tell you what, I'm even more stoked to get on the field and get to work."
On if he anticipated the Commanders drafting him and what the communicate was with the team pre-draft:
"Yeah, you know, I was lucky enough to be at the Senior Bowl and at the combines. I really gotta meet with everyone and it's such a cool process because you get to learn how every team works and, and everyone's a little bit different. But I think the Commanders were just the team that I was excited for, especially with [Offensive Coordinator] Kliff Kingsbury running the offense with [Head Coach] Dan Quinn, the way that he ran the defense in Dallas the past couple years and just to have those new faces. And then you draft probably the best quarterback in the draft right there with Jayden Daniels. Just to have that, that rapport and those new faces in a building, you can't help but be excited about this kind of being the landing spot."
On how his family will help with the transition to the NFL:
"I think it'll help a lot. You know, I think from switching positions, one of the things that I'm in a rush to get is as much experience as possible. And so, I'm in a position of blessings with people in my life who've had those experiences it helps me to kind of grow and learn from what they've been through too. I'm so thankful. I didn't earn those kind role models, those experiences that I get to learn from in my life because I didn't go through 'em. But to have those, those opportunities and those moments to learn from, you know, the people who I'm close with is such a blessing."
On what he thinks of General Manager Adam Peters:
"I mean, I haven't heard anything but good things about him. I think it's such an exciting time for him and for everybody in the building because I think everybody's so eager and ready to learn, right? Everybody's so eager and ready to grow and build something and create a culture of competition and a culture of good quality football, right? And that's kinda what we're setting out to do and in every conversation I've had with everybody. I'm so excited to just be a part of that and honored that they picked me and took a chance. I'm excited to put the work in and compete from here."
On what kind of receiver the Commanders are getting from him:
"I think the biggest thing is just the intangibles, right? Just the ability to work hard, the ability to come into the office and soak up knowledge and then learn from experiences. I think it's so great to end up there because of the great receiver room they have as well, right. I'm just excited to get there every day and learn and see what my ceiling is because you know, I'm still new to this still learning the position, and I've been lucky enough to get to this point, but this is by no means where I want to end my journey. And so, I'm excited for the opportunity and I'm excited to compete."
On where he made the biggest jump as a receiver this year:
"Oh, that's a tough one. You know, you're always learning, you're always getting better. I think the whole first year that I switched to receiver that first season, I put so much emphasis on the fundamentals of the basics of route running and the basics of getting off press and doing that. And then the second year I've kind of had the opportunity to put some things together and I think that's the journey from now until the end of my career is just trying to soak up knowledge, trying to learn and trying to do everything I can to compete and to make whatever team I'm on the best team possible."
